As for a method for sealing electronic circuit portions, such as semiconductor devices, a sealing method using a sealing resin containing an epoxy rein, a hardening agent and an inorganic filler is mainly employed, in view of cost effectiveness, productivity, and balance in properties. Due to the recent trend toward less thickness and higher packaging density of semiconductor devices, there are increasing demands for high solder heat resistance, high-temperature reliability, humidity resistance reliability and the like of semiconductors. Correspondingly, requirements for sealing resins have been escalating.
For safety ensurance, the UL standards impose a requirement that electronic component parts, such as semiconductor devices, be provided with flame retardancy. Accordingly, conventional sealing resins contain, as a flame retarding agent, halide-based flame retardant agents such as a brominated epoxy resin and, as a flame retarding assistant, antimony compounds such as antimony trioxide.
With recently growing concerns about environmental issues, problems or challenges have been pointed out in respect to various compounds used as flame retarding agents in semiconductor sealing resins.
There is a problem in that when a semiconductor device sealed by an epoxy rein composition containing a halide flame retardant agent is placed in a high temperature environment, the reliability of the semiconductor decreases.
Furthermore, concerns have risen over troublesome processes required for resin wastes if antimony compounds are contained in the such resins.
There have been demands for further improvements in the solder heat resistance and high-temperature reliability of semiconductor devices and the package filling characteristics for the sealing of semiconductors.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an epoxy rein composition excellent in flame retardancy, high-temperature reliability, solder heat resistance and formability represented by package filling characteristics without essentially requiring a halide-based flame retarding agent or an antimony compound, which are conventional flame retarding agents, and to provide an epoxy resin composition that improves the humidity resistance reliability if that property is required.